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Cookie Season

Away from the computer, Writing No Responses »

Nov 142010

The daylight saving’s time switch gives me a week or two of depression every year. Then I tend to cheer up. The next two months are spent hiding from holiday cheer, but by early January depression is the water I swim in, just as it seems to be for many others in parts of the world where it gets dark and cold.

One of the best treatments for this sort of depression is cookies.

We’ve made a couple of batches of cookies. All cookies tasted fantastic. However, these cookies had a special bonus for me as a chronic pain sufferer. People who take lots of pain medications may have extra special needs for fiber. If you can’t figure out why, I’m not going to tell you. However, I will tell you that these cookies were delicious antidepressants and had a regularizing attribute that cheered me up even more. As it were.

This recipe is a modification of the King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion “Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.”

2 1/4 c (9 1/2 ounces) unbleaked all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon (preferably Vietnamese or something else with bite)

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

5 1/4 ounces butter

2 tablespoons vegetable poil

2 1/4 cups (18 ounces brown sugar)

2 large eggs

1/2 c (4 oz) plain yogurt.

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cupts (10 1/2 ounces rolled oats)

3/4 cup (4.5 oz) chocolate chips

3/4 cup (4.5 oz) dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift together dry ingredients and spices (not including oatmeal), set aside.

Cream butter, oil, and brown sugar.

Add the eggs.

Beat in yogurt and vanilla.

Stir in oats, chocolate, and cherries, then add the flour mixture in 3 additions, beating well.

Drop cookies from a tablespoon onto baking sheets. Bake for 14 mins. Don’t let them brown or they will be crisp rather than chewy. Put on rack, or eat right out of the oven. Keeps well in an air-tight container, if there are any left.

One hot tomato

Writing 1 Response »

Aug 302010

I went to the farmer’s market today to pick up fresh tomatoes. I have a picture of one, which is definitely NSFW. I put in a nice break for you.

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The Joy of Cooking

Away from the computer 1 Response »

Apr 192010

Since I’m no longer too depressed to eat or to cook, I’ve been doing a fair amount of cooking. Some of the food was fairly elaborate, like the meal I cooked for a pair of dear friends. But the most satisfying dishes so far have been icecream. I can’t argue that it’s all that good for me, but my usual recipe uses somewhat less fat than Ben and Jerry recommend. And making icecream is one of the most satisfying activities evar.

Icecream made in 1Q maker lately:

Cinnamon-Port

Cherries Garcia

Modified, smoother Cherries Garcia

Burnt Caramel

Orange Creamsicle

Mint Chocolate Chip

This weekend I plan a pineapple rum experiment.

And for my next trick…

Writing No Responses »

Mar 102010

I’m in negotiations to work on a cookbook designed for people with Asperger’s. I keep fantasizing recipes. I’m worried that if I’m not careful, I will come out of alpha state and find that I just wrote a sex scene involving Kitchenaid mixers.

A Hot Piece of Meat

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Jul 072009

or…

Further excursions on steaks.

With the 4th approaching, I decided to continue my quest for the perfect steak marinade and spend a little more money than we should on beef for the grill. I entered an overcrowded Whole Paycheck and headed for the meat counter. As is usually the case, I had a migraine and was in no mood to wait a long time or be irritated by lame people. I looked over the case, and saw something that looked like what I wanted. It had no item tag, so I couldn’t tell what it was or how much it cost. I hate that. It was in the section labeled ‘organic’ and ‘local,’ so I expected to find out what it was and maybe buy something else. Furthermore, some hamburgers had fallen down next to it, and you never want ground beef touching other products. It’s icky and probably against health code.

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Steak Results

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May 292009

The marinade worked out exceptionally well. The steak came out drenched with whiskey fumes, while the honey and pepper mingled nicely on the tongue and the spices added a subtle note. On the other hand, we might do better not to handle London Broil in the actual broiler, and instead sear it in the cast iron pan on both side, and then let it finish at a lower temperature in the oven. Even though the steak started out evenly thick all over, the fattier parts shrank so that some bits ended up a little overdone. The grass-fed beef we got at a local farmer’s market can be a little tougher than corn-finished beef, though the flavor is much better. We might also try a thinner instance of the same cut of beef. Of course, we’re too lazy to slice our steak on the bias before we serve it.

Recipe Notes

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May 272009

One 1.25 pound London Broil marinating in whiskey, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, ground chipotle, honey, cloves, nutmeg, and bay leaves. I let you know how it comes out.

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